Found a Beagle

[MoonandBean]

We had the exact same experience with a boxer that showed up in our yard. When we found his mom, the dog was nervous instead of being exuberant at seeing her. She said "he just knows he's in trouble" so my guess would be that "runners" have done it many times before and they do get scolded when they return but they probably are treated fine at home. I told the woman I would gladly keep the boxer and she laughed and said "we don't hit him, I promise". The next time he went missing, she came to our house looking and she was nearly in tears (it was cold out) so I know she loves him. She came by 20 minutes later so happy to tell us he was home which was good because we were pacing outside (in the cold) calling for him.

[Karen]

Gracie, our Great Dane (mix), would cower like you've never seen when she thought she'd been bad. She could cringe so her shoulders were about 12 inches off the ground, and for a great Dane, that's pretty impressive! The sad part was, sometimes she "thought" she had been bad, when she hadn't. She'd greet us at the door all cringing sometimes, and we'd enter to realize she had taken all the stuffed bunnies from my bedroom and carried them to the dining room and arranged them around herself. She didn't chew any of them up, so she wasn't really in trouble, but it took a lot to convince her it was okay! She had never been abused - we got her third hand, and she was malnourished but never hit by the prior owners, in fact we had to spend months teaching her NOT to jump up in your arms when you clapped - they were raising her like their prior miniature poodle.

Mind you, Gracie, when she had escaped and gone for a run, would come back when no one was looking, and lie in the spot she'd usually be on the porch if she was on her chain, like "I was here all along!"

[happylabs]

Gracie, our Great Dane (mix), would cower like you've never seen when she thought she'd been bad. She could cringe so her shoulders were about 12 inches off the ground, and for a great Dane, that's pretty impressive! The sad part was, sometimes she "thought" she had been bad, when she hadn't. She'd greet us at the door all cringing sometimes, and we'd enter to realize she had taken all the stuffed bunnies from my bedroom and carried them to the dining room and arranged them around herself. She didn't chew any of them up, so she wasn't really in trouble, but it took a lot to convince her it was okay! She had never been abused - we got her third hand, and she was malnourished but never hit by the prior owners, in fact we had to spend months teaching her NOT to jump up in your arms when you clapped - they were raising her like their prior miniature poodle.

Mind you, Gracie, when she had escaped and gone for a run, would come back when no one was looking, and lie in the spot she'd usually be on the porch if she was on her chain, like "I was here all along!"

Oh that is so dear that she would bring the bunnies down but not chew them! Maybe she was lonely?

Thanks for your response. I feel much better now.

[MoonandBean]

Gracie knew she had better be gentle with Karen and Paul's bunnies!

[boomersooner]

The beagle was probably just nervous and confused....I'm sure he'll be fine....I agree with everyone else....especially if you got an okay vibe from the owner....

[Karen]

MoonandBean, Gracie was our dog before I married Paul, belonged officially to my parents. She was the dog of the family when Paul got to know me, and the first dog to ever lean on him. And that is the question we started Pet Talk with!


And yes, happylabs, it was quite obvious she was lonely, she would arrange the bunnies in a circle around her self and lie in the middle with her "friends" when we awful humans had abandoned her so cruelly - like to go to church, or run errands ... Those bunnies became more hers than mine, and when I married and moved out, I left them for her, and after she passed away, dad put them up on the bookcase so the new pup wouldn't chew them!